A Journey Unwanted

Chapter 529 - 517: Working together

[Realm: Uhorus]

[Location: Verdantis]

[Capital City]

Ever since the sky had darkened and twisted into that foul thing, it had become increasingly difficult to properly judge the passage of time.

Day still came and night still followed.

At least, that was what people insisted.

Yet the wounded heavens above Verdantis blurred the distinction between the two. The darkness hanging overhead swallowed much of the light that should have illuminated the world below.

Today was a new day.

At least some people were certain of that.

In Verdantis, however, certainty was difficult to come by, especially within the capital.

The city rested against an immense snow-covered mountain, its towering form casting its own shadow over sections of the settlement.

Yet life continued; it always did.

People moved through the streets despite the cold; merchants opened their shops, children darted between adults through snow-lined pathways, workers carried supplies, and travellers arrived and departed.

The churches remained busy; some entered seeking guidance, others sought comfort, and some simply wished for answers that no mortal seemed capable of providing. And many prayed, some before statues of Octavia, others before Astraea and still before Xylohr.

The people of Verdantis had never been particularly selective in their worship; this was a holy nation, after all. Most believed there was little harm in asking multiple Gods for assistance when calamities were tearing holes through reality.

Lucinda and Alyssia walked side by side through the snowy streets.

Though neither currently looked quite like themselves, a simple transformation spell had altered their appearances.

Their hair now bore dark black pigmentation, and their eyes had shifted into shades of lilac. The resemblance to a certain Court Mage of Galadriel was not entirely coincidental.

Alyssia had found it amusing, and Lucinda suspected Lyra had as well.

Their clothing, however, remained unchanged; neither had bothered altering that.

The snow crunched beneath them as they walked.

For a time neither spoke; both occasionally glanced towards the crowds passing around them.

Alyssia seemed particularly interested in the city itself; her gaze wandered constantly. Studying buildings, roads, people and all the changes.

Three centuries was a very long time; eventually she looked upward. Towards the enormous mountain overlooking the capital. Parts of the city had been built directly into it. Structures clung to the stone at various elevations while stairways and pathways disappeared into the snowy heights.

"The capital is much larger than it was in my time." There was no disbelief in her voice, but there was interest. Her eyes remained fixed on the mountain. "And there certainly wasn’t a mountain this large here."

Lucinda followed her gaze; the mountain was difficult to ignore.

"I suppose a lot can change in three hundred years." Her answer carried a thoughtful note. Three hundred years – even saying it still felt strange. That history was something one read in books, yet for Alyssia, it was memory.

The aformentioned girl hummed quietly.

"A lot changes." Then she glanced upwards at the dark sky, her expression immediately souring. "Everything except this dreadful weather."

Lucinda almost smiled as Alyssia folded her arms.

"Honestly, having to constantly maintain spells just to keep the cold from biting at me is exhausting." Her nose wrinkled slightly. "It feels like a waste of effort."

"A rather minor effort," Lucinda pointed out.

"It is still effort," Alyssia huffed.

Lucinda’s smile became slightly more obvious. "Well, Verdantis is the northernmost region." She brushed a stray snowflake from her armour sleeve. "The climate is hardly unexpected."

"That doesn’t mean I have to like it." Alyssia sounded deeply unconvinced as her gaze drifted towards the distant cityscape. "I preferred Zephyria." The statement emerged almost absentmindedly. "It was warmer." Her expression softened slightly. "The cities were grander as well." Then after a brief pause she continued. "And the food was considerably better."

That last point seemed particularly important to her.

Lucinda tilted her head; the comment had caught her attention.

"You’ve been there before?"

Alyssia nodded. "Yes."

For a moment her voice remained casual, then a nostalgic note entered.

"An arranged marriage."

Lucinda blinked.

Alyssia continued walking.

"Back when I was still pretending to be a princess." The words sounded lighter than the memory behind them. Lucinda remained silent, allowing her to continue at her own pace. "My father..." The hesitation appeared immediately.

It was impossible to miss.

Lucinda noticed the way Alyssia’s gaze lowered, the way her steps slowed slightly and how her expression briefly became distant. Like someone looking at a memory she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to revisit.

For a moment neither spoke.

Alyssia shook her head, almost physically pushing the thought away.

"My father was a fool." The statement should have sounded harsh; instead, it carried an emotion far more complicated. Frustration, affection, disappointment and understanding all tangled together. "There were times I thought he believed marriage could solve every problem in existence."

A small sigh escaped her.

"He was desperate to marry me off." Her eyes remained fixed ahead. "And my would-be suitor happened to be Zephyrian royalty."

Lucinda considered that quietly; the image was easy enough to imagine. Those political marriages that carried expectations and obligations. Lives decided by people far removed from the consequences.

"I cannot imagine that being particularly pleasant," Lucinda said after a moment.

Alyssia immediately snorted. "Pleasant is certainly one word for it," the dry sarcasm returned. "It was irritating." She paused for a moment. "No." A second pause followed shortly after. "Actually, irritating is too mild." Her expression became thoughtful. "I spent months listening to people discuss my future as though I weren’t present."

There was no bitterness in her voice as she spoke.

"They liked discussing alliances." She shook her head. "Very few seemed interested in asking what I wanted."

Lucinda found herself frowning slightly.

Alyssia chuckled softly, though there wasn’t much amusement in it.

"Then again, that was hardly unusual." For a few moments they simply walked; snow drifted lazily through the air around them as Alyssia spoke again. "It was especially frustrating considering I already had someone I—"

She stopped instantly; the interruption was so abrupt it almost looked painful. Alyssia blinked as though realising what she had nearly said, then she cleared her throat far too quickly.

"N-nothing." Her gaze immediately darted elsewhere. "Moving on."

The response arrived with such obvious haste that it accomplished the exact opposite of what she intended.

Lucinda slowly turned her head, and Alyssia very deliberately refused to make eye contact.

Alyssia could practically feel Lucinda’s curiosity lingering beside her.

The other spawn had been polite enough not to press the issue.

For now.

Which made it worse.

Lucinda was the sort of person who would patiently wait for an answer rather than demand one, and Alyssia had the uncomfortable suspicion that such patience was significantly more dangerous. So before that conversation could circle back toward her unfortunate slip of the tongue, Alyssia decided to redirect it.

Immediately.

"H-how about you?" The words came a touch quicker than intended; she cleared her throat. Trying—and failing—to look entirely casual. "Has there ever been some annoying prat who thought forcing you into a marriage was a brilliant idea?"

Lucinda glanced toward her; the question was painfully transparent. Alyssia was changing the subject; they both knew it.

Fortunately, Lucinda decided to indulge her.

For now.

"Well..." Her gaze drifted upward toward the sky overhead. The dark skies had become such a constant sight that sometimes she forgot how unnatural they truly were. "There was a time when it was considered."

Her expression grew somewhat more thoughtful as she continued.

"I was much younger then." Snow crunched beneath them as they continued walking. "Galadriel was in the midst of a war. A great deal of the conflict involved it and Vel’ryr."

Alyssia listened quietly; unlike her own story, there was no embarrassment attached to this one. Lucinda was reflecting, looking back at a period of life that no longer felt entirely distant.

"I’d hazard a guess and say that had something to do with you being a spawn of Octavia." Alyssia didn’t bother softening the observation. There was little point; both of them understood exactly what she meant.

A title like that was never merely a title. It was influence, power, and, above all else, expectation. A bargaining piece for people who thought in terms of nations rather than individuals.

Had anyone else phrased it so bluntly, Lucinda might have winced slightly, and she might have found the wording uncomfortable.

But Alyssia wasn’t anyone else; she understood the reality of it better than most.

Lucinda nodded after a few moments.

"You would be correct." There was no use pretending otherwise. "At the time, relations between Verdantis and Galadriel were strained as well." Her eyes lowered toward the snowy road ahead. "Not openly hostile, perhaps."

She considered that for a moment.

"But certainly unstable." The memory felt distant now, like something preserved at the far reaches of her mind. "Political marriage was discussed."

Alyssia made a face.

Lucinda noticed, and the reaction almost made her smile.

"However, Verdantis didn’t actually possess any suitable candidates." She spread her hands slightly. "There was no king, prince, or princess. Only the governing body."

Alyssia nodded. "That is admittedly a rather significant obstacle."

Lucinda nodded as well. "Quite." A small smile appeared briefly. "The proposal eventually died because there simply wasn’t anyone available to marry."

The absurdity of it still sat strong even now. As though people had spent weeks discussing solutions only to eventually realize a rather important component was missing.

For a few moments she was silent, then her smile faded.

"Still..." Her gaze drifted toward the passing crowds. "I remember how desperately people pursued the idea." Her voice became quieter. "I do not think it was because they were cruel. Not most of them, anyway. But they wanted something."

It was probably stability, security, and peace, maybe a future.

"They convinced themselves it was reasonable." Her brow furrowed slightly. "How desperate people become when they convince themselves that the thing they want is important enough." Lucinda’s words did not sound bitter or disgusted but more so confused at the mere prospect.

Alyssia was quiet for a moment.

Then she found herself murmuring,

"Humans, huh?" The words escaped before she could stop them; Lucinda immediately turned toward her. Her expression carried obvious confusion, and Alyssia noticed. "What?" She lifted a shoulder; the gesture was almost innocent. "We’re basically not human." The statement was delivered with surprising ease. "So I think we’ve earned the right to complain about people."

Lucinda stared, then chuckled; the reaction earned a slight frown from Alyssia.

"What?"

"You’ve accepted that remarkably quickly." Lucinda’s amusement remained evident. "Most people would struggle with that realization."

Alyssia considered the statement.

"I merely had more time to adjust." Her answer came quietly.